SOUTH AUGUST 4th 73
CHINA MORNING POST
!
Labour pair
lash out at
injustice' of Legoo
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Two visiting British MPs have strongly criticised the Legislative and Urban Council system and have told Legco members they are "not representative of the people of the Colony."
The Labour Party MPs, Mr Tom Pendry and Mr. J.A.C. Cunningham, said they believe the working man is not represented in the official councils.
A number of Councillors disputed their view and attempted to explain to the MPs the various forms of consultative government here.
Despite the explanations, both Mr Pendry and Mr Cunningham indicated at a press conference that they feel there "is a long way to go" in terms of representation of workers in official bodies.
And the MPs will be completing a written report in London on their conclusions, a copy of which will be sent back to Hongkong.
Asked about Hongkong's problems, Mr Pendry said there were many of them and the MPs did not pretend to know the answers of any.
But, he said, the most pressing problems appeared to be * housing, labour and the development of democratic institutions.
The Government should start with trudo uniɔna in building democratic institutions, he contended. (Both MPs are former trade union officials.)
The MPs said they would not say there should be a trade union representative as such on Legco, but that the Governinent should create the climate for democratic representation.
Another criticism they had was that a more favourable climate should be created by Government and employers.
They said they had met some trade union officials, but hinted that leftwing unionists had refused invitations to meet them.
Mr Pendry said he did not think it was the fault of the Hongkong Government that leftwing trade unionists diey had asked to see had not turned up at meetings.
He said he would be specifically asking why they had not met these trade unionists.
Answering questions about hostility towards Hongkong by some sections of the British textile industry, the MPs said United Kingdom manufacturers were now not worried about competition from "cheap" Hongkong goods, but from quality products.
The wage rate issue was not as big as it used to be.
The MPs said they had been very impressed with
some
ard
Government officials departments but felt others left "much to be desired.”
They gave top marks to the Housing Department.
On Housing Department matters, both MPs were visibly impressed, and this came at the end of a day during which they had visited squaiter housing estates and saw how people lived in tenements.
arcas,
REGISTRY No.51 2 9 AUG 1973
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Speaking on housing, Mr Pendry said: "From the top to the bottom, there is a genuine determination to get to grips with the problems. We have met some very talented people.”
Home Affairs also get the visiting MPs stamp of approval.
What minor criticism they did have was directed towards the Labour Department and its policies, but Mr Cunningham pointed ut this was a field with which both he and Mr Pen ry were familiar because of ti cir background of trade unionis-n.
He said the Labour Department officers were dedicated and hard-working, but indicated they were approaching the problem in the wrong way.
Mr Cunningham said they had told the Government there' should be moves to regulate working hours and wage rates.
These suggestions had been opposed by every employer to whom they had spoken - but this did not absolve the Government of responsibility.
Two unofficial members of Legco, Mr James Wu and Dr S. Y. Chung, refuted the MFs' statement that Legco and the Urban Council did not represent the people.
MPs'
They drew the attention to the fact that half of the Urban Councillors were elected by the public, and that members of Legco represented different sectors of the community.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.